Emergency-landing flare



June 15 1926.

s. WILEY EMERGENCY LANDING FLARE Filed August 5. 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jamaal lfilay $1,. ww q- 494W:

June 15 1926. 1,588,639

s. -wlLEY EMERGENCY LANDING FLARE Filed August 5, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Jar/2M2; 362% BY I)??? cf g i A TTORNEYS.

June 15 1926.

s. wiLEY EMERGENCY LANDING FLARE -3 Sheefis-Sheet 3 Filed August 5, 1925 INVENTOR. Jazzzml M'Za ATTORNEYS Patented June 1926. v

UNITED STATES SAMUEL WILEY, OF METUCHEN, NEW JERSEY.

EMEBGEKCY-LANDING FLARE.

Application filed August 8, 1925. Serial No. 47,267.

My present invention pertains to a para chute flare intended to be dropped from aircraft for the purpose of illuminating the land or water and any other objects beneath a the flare.

The invention is adapted for use in making night landings by operators of aircraft who wish to land on fields not illuminated and due to the short interval of 10 time from the instant the flare is launched until full illuminating is produced, it is especially adapted for emergency landings in unknown territory in case of storms or trouble. 7

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be more fully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

20 In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts through out the several views Figure 1 is a side elevation of an im-. proved flare constructed according to the 25 present invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectiontaken centrally therethrough.

Fi re 3 is a diagrammatic view show ing? e parachute drawn out from its case.

igure 4 is a side elevation with parts broken away showing a slightly modified form of ignition mechanism.

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the same. Figure 6 is a bottom plan view of the 85 mechanism illustrated in Figure 4.

Figure 7 is a side elevation on a smaller scale with parts broken away showing the condition of the parts after the primer is operated.

Figure 8 is a side elevation with the support in section showing the launching device for the flare.

Figure 9 is a viewtaken at substantially right angles 4 portion of the device in elevation and a portion in section with the parts suspended in the launching device.

Figure 10 1s a, top plan view of the parts shown in Figure 9, and Fi e 11 is a diagrammatic view showing t e condition of theparts in 'the act of launchin the flare.

Referring more particularly to the drawings 12 designates a case for housing the parachute 13; and 14 indicates a somewhat" is closed by the cover 27 of wood or other to Figure 8 and showing a:

similar case for holding the illuminating composition 15. These cases may be made of paper or other appropriate material. The adjacent ends of the cases are brought together on a joining block or plug 16 of wood or appropriate material, the case ends belng secured as by nails or other fastenings 17 and 18 to the plug. annular rib 19 projecting centrally about theplug serves to space the ends of the two cases apart and also to hold the screws or lugs 20, which project beyond the sides of the device for a purpose later explained. The illuminating composition is confined between the discs 21 and 22 and the disc 22 is spaced from the bottom 23 of the case to provide a place for containing the igniter assembly indicated at 24. This assembly may be of any well known construction. A tube 25 passes through the illumination composition 15 from the'plug'lfi to the igniter assembly. This tube housesthe igniter wire 26 by means of which the igniter is operated. V

The upper end of the parachute case 12 appropriate material adapted to be received into the upper end of the case and to be secured thereto as by the nails or appropriate fastenings 28. The cover 27 is provided with an annular flange 29 which extends beyond the outer side of the case for the purpose of supporting the device in the launching tube as hereinafter referred to. The cover 27 may be provided with a handle 30 for carrying the device about prior to its insertion in the launching device and the cover is furthermore provided on its inner side with the screw eye 31 or other appropriate device to which to attach the parachute. The shrouds 33 of the parachute 13 are connected to the flexible cable 34 which is disposed in the cavity 35 in the upper portion of the joining block 16. This cable 34 is fixed in the safety disc 36 which acts as a cover for the cavity 35 and is nailed or otherwise secured to the block 16 as indicated in Figure 2. The igniter wire 26 is attached to the. flexible cable 35, and the lower end' of this cableis attached to the joining block 16.

The device so formed is adapted to be )la'ced in thelaunching apparatus, as shown in Figures 8 to 11 inclusive. This launching device consists of a tube 37 mounted upgn no an airplane part at 38.

device is placed in any convenient location in'the body of the aircraft or fuselage'of the airplane in such a manner that the flare dropping required.

will extend throughan opening in the floor. The flare and the launching tube 37 will be disposed in a vertical position to permit the of the flare out of the tube when The flare is held in place in the tube by means of the engagement of'theflange 29 on the top cover 27 with an internal shoulder 39 on the ring This ring 40 is the upright 42. This upright is hollowed out adjoining the bar 41 to receive the 'pulley '43 carried upon the upright andthe lower I pulley 44 carried upon the bar 41. A cable pulleys having one end secured as indicated at 46 in Figures 8 and 9 to a stud in the upright, while the other end passes out laterally and is disposed in position to be pulled upon by the oper is. trained over these ator. Of course any appropriate mechanism 7 may be used to operate this-cable. When the cable is pulled the ring 40 will be hoisted.

The'lugs 20 of the flare are adapted to slip under internal lugs 47 within the launching tube 37. These lugs are spaced apart to permit the screws or lugs 20 of the flare to be inserted downwardl between the same and then turned to enable the lugs 20 to engage beneath the lugs 47 as shown'in Figure 9.

When it is desired to make a landing at night and the flare is -to be dropped to illuminate the unknown territory, the cable Y 45 is pulled, elevating the ring 40 and with illuminant case as the fastenings it the parachute container 12. The parachute container will readily strip from the 18 are only small pins or thin nails. During this operation the remainder of the flare structure is held against this upwardly pulling by the engagement of the lugs 20 and 47. When the parachute container 12 is pulled clear of the illuminant case, the flare fallsfrom the aircraft, the parachute container 12' remain ing in the releasing device. The illuminant 14 falls free from the launching-tube 37, pulling the parachute 13 with it. The slackof the shrouds is taken up until-the whole weight of the flare. is brought on'the attachment 32. The resulting jerk on this connec-. tion will strip oi the mit the cable 34 to'straighten out. The condition of the parts just referred to is indicated in Figure 11.

As the cable 34 straightens out it will pull upon the igniter wire 26 and operate the igniter thereby setting off the illuminatin material'l5. The further descent of the safety disc 36 and per-f flare will finally break the u per connection flare then becomes detached of the airplane. After approximately a'fifty foot drop, the the burning flare as it floats to the ground.

In Figures 4 to 7 inclusive is shown-a different quire a connection betweenthe parachute and parachute container. This is. the safety lever type and consists of a striker 48 mounted to swing about the pintle 49 and urged by the coil spring 50 to the position, shown in Figure 7 against the 'primer51. The-striker occupies normally a retracted position within a bottom bottom head of the illuminating case. In this posit-ion it. isj-held by' the safety lever parachute opens supporting cavity 1 52 in the;

type of 'igniter, which-does not r'e- 53 pivoted to the case bottom as at 54 and extending. across the cavity 52. -The lever along the side of the flare case. The upper .end ofthis arm 55 is normally disposed throughan opening in block 16 and held underneath the wall of the parachute case, F1 ure 4.

t is apparent that, so long as the arachute-case remains in place on the illuminant case, the arm andlever'w'ill retain the posit-ion shown in Figure 4, holding the striker n a potential position. As soon, however, as the-parachute illuminant case, Figure 7). The lever-and arm. will fall .down and permit the striker to become active when the illuminant case is free of the launching tube under the influence of the coil spring 50, thus igniting the illuminant.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the. invention produces a self-contained flare which will be positive in action and constructed with a view to its ready launching. 7 Wit -h the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention resides in the novel arrangement and combination of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise'embodiment' of the invention herein disclosed maybe made What is claimed is partments therein, illuminating. material in .116 within the scope of what is claimed without I departing from the. spirit of the invention.

one compartment, igniting means for said. illum natlng material, a parachute in the other compartment, a parachutecompartment coupled to said parachute and adapted;

to .be stripped from said illuminant case,

\ movable means for engaging with saidparachute case tosupport the flare and for stripping saidparachute case to permit the flare to fall, and means f r holding the case age-at m n 2. A flare having a compartment for illuminant and a separate compartment fora parachute, a parachute in the last named compartment, the parachute case adapted to be stripped from illuminant case, a connection between said parachute case top and the parachute adapted to be detached on fallin said airplane but "permitting downward movement thereof, and means to shift said supporting means whereby to strip the parachute case from the flare and permit falling thereof.

3. A flare comprising a case for illuminating material, and i iting means therein,

a second case, a parac ute normally housed in said second case, means for uniting the two cases, the parachute case adapted to be stripped from illuminant case, a separable connection between said arachute and the parachute case, a launching device carried by the airplane and having means for engaging) said flare to prevent lifting movement ment of the flare, and liftable .suspension means engaging with said parachute case adapted to strip the arachute-case from the flare and permit falhng thereof.

4. A flare comprising a case for illuminating material, lgniting means therein, a second case, means to secure said cases together, a parachute in said second case, the

arachute case adapted to be stripped from.

-. illuminant case, a separable connection between said parachute case top and the parachute and a second connection between the shrouds of the parachute and said means, liftable means in the airplane for supporting the flare from said parachute case and adapted to strip the parachute case, and means in the airplane to engage with the flare to avoid its lifting with said lifting means.

5. A flare comprising a case for illuminating material, an ignlter therein, a second case joining with said first case, a parachute in the second case having its shrouds coupled to the flare, a parachute case adapted to e stripped therefrom, a separable connection between the top and parachute. a launching tube on. the airplane for receiving said flare and having means to prevent upward movement'of the flare therein, and liftable means engaging with said parachute case top for supporting the flare in the tube and adapted to strip the parachute case from the flar I 6.- A flare compr sing a case havm a compartment for illuminating materia an ig-. vniterin the illuminatin vichute also in said case avingits shrouds connected to the flare, the parailiute comut .freely permitting falling movematerial, a paraartment adapted to be stripped from the are, a separable connection between said arachute case top and the parachute, a aunchingtube on-the airplane, cooperating lugs between said flare and tube to avoid the lifting of the illuminant case, and a liftable supporting means for the flare engaged wholly with the parachute case for stripping the'same.

7. A flare comprising a flare body having separate compartments therein, il1umi-' nating material and an *igniter in one com- .partment, a parachute in the other compartment having its shrouds connected to the flare body, the parachute compartment adapted to be stripped therefrom'and having a projectlngbflange at its top, a breakable connection etween said parachute case and parachute, a liftable ring on the airplane engaging with said shoulder of the top of the parachute case, means to lift said ring, and means to ,hold the flare body against movement in the direction of stripping movement of the ring and parachute case.

8. A flare comprising a flare body, having a compartment for illuminating material, an igniter therein, and a second compartment, a parachute in said second compartment having its shrouds connected to the flare body, a flanged cover for the parachute compartment by means of which parachute compartment can be stripped from the flare ody, a breakable connection between said parachute compartment and parachute, a tube on the airplane for receiving said flare body, cooperating lugs on said tube and flare for preventing upward movement of the flare body, a rin for supporting the flare body from said fl anged cap, and means for lifting the parachute case while the flare body is held stationary.

9. A flare comprising a flare body having a compartment for illuminating material and an igniter, a second compartment, a parachute in said second compartment having its shrouds connected to said flare body,

a parachute in. said second case, a joining block between said cases, a flexible connection between the shrouds of the parachute and said joinin block, a safety means secured to said exible connection and'said block and adapted to be stripped from, the

hating-material and an lgniter, a second case,

latter,- and means coupled between said fl exible connection and the igniter for setting "ofi' the latter..

11. A flare comprising a case-for illumi-' nating material and an igniter, a second case, a parachute in said second case, a ]O1Il- 'ing' block for receiving; and joining the adjacent ends of said cases, said joming block having a cavity therein, a flexible connectlon 10- case,aparachute in the second case, a joinflexible connection loosely coiled in said cav-' ing block for receiving the ends of the cases,

said joining block having a cavity therein,-a

ityand secured to the block and to the Y shrouds of the parachute, a safety disc secured removably over said cavity and aflixed to said flexible-connection, a connection be tween said flexible connection and the 1gniter, a parachute case and a breakable connection betweenv said parachute case upper portion of the parachute.

13. A flare comprising a flare body having space for an illuminant and an igniter, a parachute also in said body and having its shrouds secured thereto, a strippable parachute case for said flare body, and means top and normally engaged with said strippable parachute case for holdingvthe igniter in a potential position. I if W 14. A' fiare comprising'a flare body having space 'jfOl' an illuminant "and an igniting mechanism, a lever for'holding said igniting mechanism in potential position, said lever extending along said flare body, a parachute inand connected at itsfshroud end' to said flare body, a strippablelparachute case hav.-,

ing an opening to receive "and confine said lever, and means to strip the parachute case from theflare body and from 'sald lever.

SAMUEL WILEY. 

